A Single Grain of Rice
by Warrior of Words
Summary: Mulan rewritten so that if Mulan/Ping was actually a boy - Ping himself! A misunderstood boy, taking his father's place in the army under the command of Captain Li Shang. But just how far will things go? Will the story be the same? Or will there be more blood and romance? A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat.
1. Chapter 1: Middle

With the 'Hero of China' injured in the tent, after saving his life no less, Shang couldn't help but worry, pacing back and forth like a madman. Ping had his trust and owed his life to him. His worry was getting the best of him, hoping – no praying! – that his comrade was all right. Then, thankfully, the doctor came out from under the tent. His hand beckoned Shang down, who leaned his head down in response to listen. With worry, he close his eyes, furrowing his brows until he heard the soft man's voice say happily, "He's going to be fine."

A heavy boulder felt like it was being lifted from Shang's shoulders, letting out a sigh of relief and quickly went into the tent. Seeing the feminine man lying there, Shang knelt beside him. Ping looked up, smiling as he saw it was Shang next to him and the only one he wanted there. Sitting up, he winced from the twinge of pain, to which Shang pressed a hand softly on his chest to lean him back down, "Don't get up," the Captain whispered.

Ping rested his hand on Shang's forearm of the hand that was still on his chest. In truth, the touch burned like a child too curious of a flame, getting burned and retracting quickly. But Ping didn't retract. He knew it was wrong to think of more touches by the Captain next to him, but couldn't push them away. He wanted more. But the pain in his side was still lingering, making him falter back to lay down, but looked over to Shang, "It hurts…" he admitted, then thought of the others, probably freezing and shivering from the cold, frowning.

Shang hated it when Ping frowned, making his beautiful, almost feminine, features turn sour. The gentle hand on his forearm made Shang shiver, wanting everything from the man he was indebted to. Lightly, he moved his arm to hold onto Ping's hand, loving the feel of it, like it was right, but put it next to the other's side if he was uncomfortable by the motion. The Captain gazed at the other up and down, trying not to imagine the rest of his covered body while only his chest was shown, being wrapped by only a few bloody bandages. But he knew he was lingering, looking back up to Ping, large doe-eyes, "What can I do for you?"

Feeling he was taking too long and worried about the men of their company, his friends, Ping quickly answered, "Get the men to the Imperial City. You all will never survive the cold."

Worry began to fill throughout Shang again, "What about you? What are you saying? You can't stay here either, Ping! You'll die…" he said with the words pouring out of him.

With a mere shrug, Ping gulped, looking sadly at his wounds and his voice quivering, "I can't move, Shang. At least not well. The tent will help for a few hours…enough to buy me some time to regain my strength a-"

"We'll wait for you," Shang rushed to say.

Shaking his head, Ping looked to his commander, "You all will freeze if you aren't already. Get to the city. It's your only chance." His hand itched to touch Shang's again, longing for the touch until Shang took it again, gazing with pure surprise in his large, ebony eyes.

"Then you're coming with us," Shang said sternly, receiving a confused, dazed expression from the other before picking him up. It was surprisingly easy, since the boy was so small, secretly loving that about him, but careful. And hearing the yelp from the other, Shang's eyes went to the other's wounds to make sure he hadn't reopened them. Seeing nothing and just the surprise from the other, he carried Ping out of the tent.

Their company looked up at them both in relief that Ping was all right, with his hair down, making him more feminine than ever, and surprise from their Captain holding him. But with an expressionless face, Shang looked to everyone, "Pack up. We're moving to the Imperial City. Quickly! Our hero needs more medical care." He said as he went to his horse, placing Ping on first, gently. With a smooth, swift move, he got onto the horse himself, grabbing a blanket and placing it on Ping to cover him from the cold.

Gasping, Ping had never been so close to him Captain, almost blushing. And the warmth behind him was certainly not helping. He couldn't control himself as he leaned back into him, wanting to be enveloped in the warmth and in his arms. Hearing the gasp, Shang wrapped one arm around Ping, another burning touch even more so now, trying not to gaze at the gritty man in front of him, rugged and exhausted as he went further into his arms, biting the inside of his cheek. It was only then did Shang realize that his desire for Ping would bring about more trouble than it had been just for falling for the young man. And his mind began to flicker back to how it all started…


	2. Chapter 2: Ping

"Captain Lee Shang…" the young captain began, tying the hilt of his father's sword (an item he treasured that was both a symbol of honor and trust, as well as the love from his father) to his belt. With a smirk, he liked the sound of his new title. This was everything he had dreamed of. Growing up in the Imperial City to a General and fine mother, Shang had been raised and tried, not only as a warrior, but to become a leader as well. It was much to put on someone's shoulders, but Shang couldn't have been happier. This was everything he had wanted, "Leader of China's finest troops…" he smirked more, wanting to see the men he would train for this important war and aid his father whenever needed. His goal was not to make friends, but to train those who could potentially save not only his father's life, but also the lives of civilians famished by the war against the Huns. Shang wanted nothing more to make his father proud, "No, the greatest troops of all time!" he chuckled while stepping outside the tent.

However, once seeing the blur and mess of men fighting one another, lose teeth, torn shirts, hair, and rice split everywhere, Shang couldn't help but gasp. His mouth ajar, Shang watched as the General merely shook his head, placing his helmet on. Boys, he thought.

"Most impressive," Chi Fu remarked sarcastically, immediately blaming the young captain (whom Chi Fu thought he only received the position through family ties and connection on a silver platter instead of working for it, like he had done with his own) even though Shang had nothing to do with this.

"Good luck, Captain!" the General's voice caught Shang's attention, guiding his gaze away from the huddle of men beating one another over to him on his horse, "Yah!" he said before riding off with two lines of soldiers following behind him.

"Good luck…" Shang replied, immediately worried that he would never see him again, "father…" he whispered softly, wishing for a moment that he was following his father into battle with him instead of here.

Turning back to the fighting troops, the newly-titled captain placed his hands on his hips, wondering how to go about this. As Chi Fu started to speak, "Day one." Marking his parchment to signify that he really wasn't going to leave anything out in his reports, Shang grit his teeth for a moment. To show that he knew what he was doing, the captain placed his hands in fists, heading towards the troops with a determined expression, "Soldiers!" he called, standing in front of them in a power-status position.

Immediately, the soldiers separated and pointed like little kids as they revealed Ping hurdled on the ground, shouting in a whine, "He started it!"

Seeing the young, small man on the ground, the captain waited until Ping stood, brushing himself off. Watching, Shang noticed just how small he was – and feminine! Even in armor…which didn't help that it was too big for his frame. Needing to put a stop to all of this, he narrowed his eyes, hovering over Ping with his broad stature, "I don't need anyone causing trouble in my camp." His camp. The one his father entrusted him with.

"Sorry…" Ping whispered pitifully, looking as though he expected to be punched again, but then realized how he looked, straightening up and deepening his voice, "I mean, sorry you had to see that! But you know what it is when you get those…manly urges!" he hit his own chest twice, over-playing the 'machismo' effect to where Shang had to refrain from rolling his eyes, "just gotta KILL something!" he pretended to slice his hand with his palm, shaking it off lightly as if it hurt, then rubbing his hand to soothe it, "Fix things…cook outdoors…" Ping was trying desperately hard to fit in and not be sent home right away. Otherwise stealing his father's armor and running away from home would have meant nothing…futile. And Ping could not even bear the thought, trying his best. Although his best was not very convincing.

"What's your name?" the captain asked, leaning in, eyeing ping and trying to figure him out…to make something of him.

"Um…uh…I…uh…" Ping stuttered, not having thought that out. Could he play it off as some commoner wanting to fight in the war? But what name could he think of? What was his own name?! If all else failed, at least he could use the truth. A father embarrassed of his son, having no records of him, and running away to take his father's place so that he wouldn't die. Where was that damn tiny dragon Mushu when Ping needed him? How could he have forgotten his own name?!

Shang watched, hearing an almost woman-tone come into Ping's voice and gestures as he tried to think. What was wrong with the young man? Was he mental? Did he even know where he was? But soon, Chi Fu interrupted everyone's thoughts, "Your commanding officer just asked you a question!"

"I've got a name," Ping nodded, trying to think and played it off so by stalling as much as possible, "And it's a boy's name too." He said, not wanting to be harassed again for his feminine features. Luckily, a familiar feeling of a small, cowering dragon was behind Ping's neck. Mushu! Ping cried out internally.

"Ling! How 'bout Ling?" Mushu asked quickly, and quietly.

Ping then almost rolled his eyes, making a face of diapointment, "His name's Ling?" he nudged his head over to the lanky man with missing teeth that was wobbling a bit, forgetting everyone was there and could hear him talking to himself. Great! Just what he needed, needing to remember not to do that publically, but soon Ping's heart raced.

"I didn't ask for _his_ name," Shang said, towering over Ping and nudging his head as well over to Ling before looking back, a bit irritated. Was this boy deaf? "I asked for yours!" he enunciated clearly, leaning in which Ping tried desperately not to blush from any close proximity.

"Uh….ah-chu!" Mushu said, a bit louder as he tried to think of something quickly.

"Ah-chu." Ping repeated back with large, black doe eyes without really thinking of the name until the captain's reaction.

"AH-CHU?" Shang could help but arch an eyebrow, wondering if the young man was simply messing around and wasn't taking any of this seriously.

"Gesuintit!" Mushu said, unable to help but laugh a bit, using the back of Ping's shirt to wipe his eye, "I kill myself," he still gave a soft chuckle.

"Mushu…" Ping turned back, irritated and thought he whispered.

Shang had had enough, "Mushu?" was in the Great Wall of China was this boy's name?! If he wanted to spark interest, well then he certainly had it.

"No!" Ping said desperately.

"Then _what_ is it?" Shang asked irritated, finally done.

"Ping! Think of something, or use that because that's your name! Same as my best friend growing up." Mushu ranted.

"It's Ping." The young man stated, finally giving up and using his name.

"'Course Ping did steal my girl – " Mushu started to say before Ping reached behind him, grabbing the small dragon to quiet him, "Yes. My name is Ping." He nodded.

In case he was lying again, the captain sighed, putting his hand out, "Let me see your conscription notice."

Ping then handed the scroll over to which Shang immediately opened. He had a plan and failed, having to resort to the truth. As Shang looked it over, he saw that it was for Fa Zhou – the man who left honorably after injury and even fought alongside his own father. For a moment, Shang couldn't believe it. Gulping behind the parchment before slowly pulling it down, both disbelief and wonder in his voice, "Fa Zhou? _The_ Fa Zhou?"

"I didn't know Fa Zhou had a son." Chi Fu stated incredulously.

"Er…he doesn't talk about me much…" Ping stated truthfully, but instead of making it seemed as painful as it really was, he tried the machismo tactic once more. However, as he tried to spit, Ping failed miserably. Trying to recover, he blushed.

Blushing? Shang thought for a moment, curious and also worried because this was war. It called for men…not whatever this half-crazed boy was.

"I can see why. This boy's an absolute lunatic," Chi Fu whispered, not so quietly, to Shang. The troops began to snicker, even elbowing one another in the gut from laughter. Even Shang couldn't help but resist a smirk. But only for a mere moment. But once he knew he needed to secure his status as their captain, Shang walked away slightly, signifying the mess as he looked to the troops, "Okay, gentlemen. Thanks to your new friend Ping." He sneered at the name just slightly, circling the young man, "you'll spend tonight picking up every single grain of rice," he separated his words clearly so they could all know the importance of each grain and that he was serious, "Tomorrow, the real work begins." He then walked away to his tent, ignoring the grumbling from his troops.

Ping made a face of utter guilt, looking away from his captain as well as the other troops. This could have gone so much better…All he had now was to try and prove himself. But after this stunt, how could he?

"You know…we have to work on your people skills." Mushu stated, looking back a moment as Ping watched Shang pull away the fabric before stepping inside of his tent. For now, it was each individual grain of rice. First impressions were difficult and Ping knew the captain was confused, and in turn, Ping was intrigued by the captain – especially one so young.


End file.
